Good morning, today we will be looking at the lives of ordinary Egyptians. In 1906 a tomb was discovered and it contained the remains of two ordinary Egyptians Kha and Merit. Joann Fletcher narrates the tale of these two ordinary people. What was Ancient Egypt like for ordinary people? Joann Fletcher finds out.
Kha and Merit lived in a large village, a suburb of Thebes. It was a tightly packed community. The village remains to provide a backdrop to the lives of ordinary Egyptians. Joann makes her way through the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy to introduce the viewer to Kha and Merit. Kha was an architect and Merit was his wife. Their mummies have never been unwrapped but their remains were scanned. Kha was five foot six inches and had striking features. Merit was smaller at five foot two inches and had a wig. Their grave goods tell a different story about the couple. In 1906 their intact tomb was discovered, providing a unique view into the lives of ordinary Egyptians. There were tables, chairs, linens, cosmetics, shaving equipment, etc., were found in the tomb. There was enough material for future generations to study. Joann looks at Merit’s dressing table. It was a stunning collection of cosmetics. These cosmetics show her to be a wealthy woman who took care of her appearance. How could she afford such expensive cosmetics? The village where Merit lived provides the answers. She lived in a village that worked for the Pharaohs. They built temples and tombs. The village was not far from the Valley of the Kings, where the Pharaohs were buried. Kha was an elite craftsman, the very best Egypt had to offer. They were in charge of making sure that the Pharoah was taken care of for eternity. Most likely Kha and Merit grew up in this village. Joann takes us to the Great Pit. The villagers wanted to be self-sufficient, so they dug for water. Unfortunately, they did not find water and so the pit became a dump. Here they dumped their trash and these remains tell archeologists what life is like in the village. The remains tell the story of love. The largest source of love poems comes from this village. Did Kha write Merit love poems? Perhaps, it is a lovely thought. It is known that Kha married Merit and may have signaled his intentions by bringing the ”bundle.” The bundle would have been a sort of dowery and a demonstration of his intentions. Kha and Merit were a devoted couple. Kha and Merit lived in Egypt’s Golden Age. Ancient Egypt ruled the world. Kha worked for Amenhotep III and worked to ensure the pharaoh’s immortality. Part of Kha’s wages came in the form of a home, a tomb, and servants. The village had twenty houses and Kha’s house was one of the largest houses in the village. Joann explores one of the houses, going through each of the rooms. The state supports life in the village. Donkeys brought in water. There were grain stores. Kha would have received his wages as a grain ration. They also received fish and vegetables. The villages could trade their excesses for luxuries. Merit would take care of the home and Kha would take care of the business. What else did Kha and Merit do in the village? What can their story tell us about ordinary Ancient Egyptians? Continue to watch this documentary to find out more. If you wanted to take a break from the Egyptian Pharaohs, then this would be a documentary that you could show in a class. It is a nice glimpse of the life of ordinary Ancient Egyptians.
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